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I signal, lifting a finger in the air, then race toward the elevator—three men following me. The doors slide open, and we pile inside quickly. A new man, Kiril, pushes the button for the garage, and the elevator descends.
My thoughts drift back to Eden—the curve of her smile, the fire in her eyes when she challenges me, and how her body feels pressed against mine. She’s the one person who has made me feel better about my life, and I refuse to let this happen to her.
But I know we won’t make it in time.
55
EDEN
The phone sitson the table, taunting us. My fingers itch to pick it up and hold it in my hand, but Gunsyn sits at the table, toying with his gun. His eyes dart between me and the phone, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of feeling like a big man. I ignore him and his pathetic intimidation tactics. But I know better than to make any sudden moves.
My dad, who has always been larger than life, suddenly seems so human. I made him vulnerable by running away. If my dad is dead and his voice doesn’t come through on the phone, I’m as good as dead too.
Make yourself small. Keep your head down.Don’t give them a reason to hurt you.I don’t know what will happen. I don’t know who I can trust.
“What’s taking so long?” Alexander asks impatiently. “We’ve been waiting for an hour.”
Gunsyn’s attitude is cocky. “We should give Ippolit a few more minutes,” he says. “He knows not to make a move until he hears from me.”
Alexander shakes his head. “Something isn’t right. He should’ve called by now.”
I only have one chance … my dad. And I want to scream as they calmly discuss his murder. I want to tell them they don’t know who they’re dealing with. My father doesn’t back down. It’s his rules and no one else’s. A sigh escapes me, and I pretend I didn’t do it as Alexander stares hate daggers at me.
The seconds drag on like hours, and my anxiety rises until my stomach hurts. How did I end up here, surrounded by these awful men? The men responsible for my mother’s death. Why won’t Nikolai listen to me? Why does he believe them? Doesn’t he care even just a little?
I turn my gaze to Gunsyn and see him return a lewd gesture at me.
I hope my dad shoots him first.
Alexander glares at the phone. “One of us should have gone with him.”
The brigadiers return to an uneasy silence. But I retreat into my own thoughts as I stare at the phone in the middle of the table. I play back another phone call like a sad song on a loop in my head, and I feel betrayed by my dad’s lies.
Maybe if I had known, I would’ve understood why I had to stay in that hateful house. I almost miss it now.
I’ll forgive Dad, but I won’t forgive Zakhar Budanov.Hisbetrayal will always sting like a knife in my heart. Nothing will ever heal it, not even time.
Suddenly, the phone rings, shattering the quiet. I flinch and take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Gunsyn’s hand shootsout before Alexander can touch the vibrating phone, snatching it and pressing it to his ear.
“Hello?” he barks, a smug grin on his face. He listens intently, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the other brigadiers.
“Put it on speaker,” hisses Alex, his posh accent slipping into something uncivilized.
“Ippolit?” Gunsyn shouts again. His expression darkens as he puts it on speaker.
There are sounds of a struggle on the phone—muffled screams in quick succession followed by grunts and short cries. The sound of flesh striking flesh fills the room. A scuffle and a grunt of pain, followed by a sharp cry of agony. I bite my lip hard to stop myself from screaming too. I can’t stand listening to it, but I must know what happens. I have to know if my father is okay.
There’s a loud crash and a strangled cry, then a shot rings out. The awful noise stops abruptly, and all eyes lock on the phone as a familiar voice speaks.
“Ippolit is dead,” my father says. “I’m coming for you, Gunsyn.”
“Daddy …” I’m grabbed from behind by Alexander before I seize the phone.
“Eden!”
And then he’s gone.
Gunsyn ends the call before I can say another word. I watch in horror as he pockets the phone, the screen still dark. But my father is alive.
